You can read that the new Convention Centre Dublin is a totally impressive building here. But no matter how flashy, trendy and attractive the congress centre is, a good congress destination should also have special venues on hand for stunning receptions and gala dinners. Like these, for instance…

Our number one: Number 10

A visit to Number 10 – a magnificently furnished Georgian House that is privately owned and available to only one client at a time. This house is a living museum, where the owner greets you personally and expounds on his furniture and art collections. You can hold your board meeting here, or dine, or simply visit the house. The Tea or High Noon Tea package is a very pleasant formula.

Top (and even better) restaurants: Pichet & Chapter One

Pichet is a new restaurant from Nick Munier and Stephen Gibson, offering a quality dining experience in relaxed and informal surroundings. The fresh, vibrant and varied menu offers food of the highest quality. Chapter One is a bit more formal, but it’s also an award-winning Michelin star restaurant in Dublin city centre. Head Chef Ross Lewis focuses on local and seasonal produce to create an array of modern dishes with a combination of robust flavours.

Receptions in the Old Library of Trinity College

We also had the pleasure of experiencing a splendid combination for a gala dinner. Nothing is more prestigious than beginning an evening with a cocktail reception in one of the most beautiful ‘working’ libraries in Europe: the Old Library of Trinity College. The library is open during the day, as it is home to the famous Book of Kells, a 9th Century manuscript. The library contains over 100,000 other books – but on this particular evening it was open especially for us. Trinity College Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elisabeth I and is situated in the bustling heart of the city, yet even today the College remains an oasis of seclusion and tranquillity. Within its picturesque 40-acre campus, Trinity College boasts superb buildings of character and charm – outstanding examples of the architecture of their time.

The Round Room at the Mansion House

From Trinity College, we enjoyed a short stroll to our gala dinner venue: the next door Mansion House (the official residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin). The Round Room was built in 1821 to host a reception and gala dinner for King George IV. This magnificent room – with its circular shape and startling fibre-optic domed ceiling – is a perfect blank canvas for creating a conference or gala evening in whatever way you would like.